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The Town of Canaan Assessment Roll is available online by clicking HERE
To VIEW or PAY Canaan tax bills and payment status online, please click HERE
LEGAL NOTICE
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
PLANNING BOARD
TOWN OF CANAAN
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
A joint public hearing before the Canaan Zoning Board of Appeals and the Canaan Planning Board will be conducted on December 3, 2013 at 7:00 PM at the Canaan Town Hall, 1647 County Route 5, Canaan, NY.
The matters to be considered will be the Full Environmental Assessment Form—State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR), 617.20 Appendix A, proposed site plan and application for a special permit pursuant to ZBA Application #2012-4 by Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores for a travel stop and country store on NYS Route 22 and Peaceful Valley Road, Tax Map ID #’s 70.-1-1, 70.-1-7, 70.-1-22, 69.-1-7.
This application is open to inspection at the office of the Town Clerk. Persons wishing to appear at the hearing may do so in person or by representative. Communications in writing concerning these matters may be filed with the Town Clerk prior to the hearing or with the Board on the night of the hearing (16 copies please).
Zoning Board of Appeals,
David Cooper, Chairman
Planning Board
Ron Davis, Chairman
______________________________________________________________________
(Contact: Julie Alexander, ZBA Clerk, phone 518-281-0656 or 518-392-6978, email juliej10549@yahoo.com, fax 518-781-3003)
SPECIAL NOTICE: 2013-2014 Transfer Station Permit Stickers for Canaan Residents Only are now available at Town Hall during office hours (M,W,Thur,F 9:30am-2:30pm and Thur. 6:00pm-8:00pm). By mail: Address to Canaan Town Clerk, PO Box 459, Canaan, NY 12029, include your name, physical address in Canaan, License Plate number and a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return. One Permit Sticker only per residence. Please choose the one vehicle you will be using to bring refuse to the Station. Stickers must be fixed to a passenger side window.
SPECIAL NOTICE: EZ Passes for passenger vehicles only can now be purchased at Town Hall during office hours for $25.
A message from the Town Board!
July 2013
Fellow Canaan Residents:
The purpose of this letter is to update you on what has happened in our Town and what the Town Board anticipates for the remainder of the year.
Finances
National economic performance over the last five years has been referred to as “The Great Recession”. During this period Canaan made significant investments in its infrastructure and equipment benefiting from competitively lower costs while providing employment. We also restructured our employee healthcare plan saving thousands of dollars in insurance premiums. These improvements reduced operating expenses. The Board has reduced the Town of Canaan tax levy by 22.5%, approximately $150,000 over the last 5 years. Unlike many other municipalities, Canaan has no debt and is not involved in any litigation. Legal fees are at their lowest level in over a decade. Canaan recently received one of the best scores of any municipality in New York State from the NYS Controllers Office for financial strength and the least amount of financial stress.
Despite the elimination of our transfer station host fees to purchase additional years of free garbage disposal for our residents, lower mortgage tax revenues and building permit fees due to real estate market conditions, and a significantly higher expense contribution to the New York State Retirement System, the Board fully expects the Town property tax rate, $1.35 per $1,000 of assessed value, one of the lowest in Columbia County, to remain unchanged in 2014.
The Board significantly increased the Town’s assigned cash reserves for highway equipment, buildings and Stoddard Field. These assigned reserves now total over $375,000. In addition, the Town has unassigned cash reserves of over $239,000.
Included in this letter is a summary of Canaan’s 2013 Budget. The intent is to show you how much our Town spends or reserves, and where our revenues come from. It also gives you a comparative view of how much we pay in various property taxes.
2013 Budget is online
2013 Assessment Roll
The Town was recently informed by the NYS Office of Real Property Supervision (ORPS) that their analysis now shows the Town’s assessed property values at 110.3% of market value. Since the 110.3% is an average of all properties in Canaan the Assessor must revaluate all properties to apply the lower average market value correctly across various categories of property relative to their actual sales data. ORPS recommends a revaluation of properties every four years. Real Property Law requires that sales data being used for revaluation must be from the prior three years. Therefore the Town Assessor will begin a revaluation in 2014. Our last revaluation was 2010. In the meantime:
•All exemptions, STAR, seniors, veterans and agricultural will receive 110.3% of their value because our assessments average 110.3% of market value;
•Canaan property owners’ September 2013 School District tax rates and January 2014 County tax rate will automatically be reduced by 10.3%, a negative 10.3% equalization rate by ORPS since all municipalities must be at 100% of market value to equitably allocate these property taxes across municipal borders;
•January 2014 Canaan Town and Fire District taxes will have the same relative apportionment as if the Town were still at 100% of market value.
Cemeteries and Burial Grounds
New York State Cemetery Law states that any independent cemetery or burial ground managed by a State recognized Board of Trustees or Commissioners can transfer ‘ownership’ to the municipality in which they exist. Under the law the municipality must maintain and manage the property in perpetuity. The independent Board of Trustees or Commissioners must transfer any remaining trust funds, plot plans and burial records to the municipality. A few years ago Flat Brook Cemetery on State Route 22 was transferred to the Town of Canaan and the Town has been responsible for its maintenance and insurance ever since.
Last year the Town discovered, quite by accident, that ‘ownership’ of the Old Queechy Lake Church Burial Ground on State Route 295 at Luke Hill Road had been transferred to the Town many years ago. With respect for both the law and those buried there the Town took action to reclaim the Burial Ground. To save the Town money, our Highway Department generously agreed to remove the trees and vegetation, grind up the stumps, bring in fill and plant grass. Our Town Historian has been working with volunteers to uncover and identify the headstones of the 168 people buried in the Church Burial Ground between 1811 and 1912. The Town will erect a wooden two rail fence along the State Route 295 side of the property. Also planned, a weather proof wooden/Plexiglas display case which will contain historical information about the site and the names of those buried there.
Two years ago New York State passed a new law to allow municipalities to directly assist independent cemeteries that were facing a continued depletion of funds eventually leading to a transfer of ‘ownership’ to the municipalities. Increasing maintenance and insurance costs were jeopardizing our small rural independent cemeteries in Canaan: Canaan Cemetery, Cemetery of the Maples and Red Rock Cemetery. For the past two years the Town has been providing financial help to these cemeteries for maintenance and insurance. What are the benefits? The Town does not have to assume administration and operation of the cemeteries costing the taxpayers more. The independent Cemetery Boards and Commissions can continue to raise money privately through plot sales and other events, replenishing their trust funds. Finally, the continued proper maintenance of the cemeteries adds to their attractiveness, respecting those that are, or will be buried there, and their families.
Highway Equipment
As mentioned earlier the Town has added to its assigned reserves for highway equipment. This year we will replace our aging large wheel excavator (1991) with a new medium sized track excavator, which can be transported around town by trailer and works more efficiently storing material in our new sand/salt shed. The Town will also be replacing its oldest large truck (1994) with a new model. These purchases will be paid for out of our Highway Equipment Reserve and will have no property tax impact.
Reminders
•To our residents who own dogs, please make sure they have a rabies vaccination and are licensed at Town Hall for both you and your dog’s safety. Cats that have access to the outdoors should also have a rabies vaccination.
•For residents using open vehicles to transport garbage to the Transfer Station, State law requires materials be secured or covered so they do not leave the vehicle during transport. Please take the extra time to secure materials so they do not end up on our roads.
•The Town Summer Youth Recreation Program begins July 8th and ends August 16th, Monday-Friday. Sign up at Adams Point Beach 9am-12m and Stoddard Field 1pm-4pm – bring a copy of your immunization record.
•Adams Point Beach hours are Monday-Thursday 12pm to 6pm, Friday 12pm to 7pm, Saturday 10am to 7pm and Sunday 10am to 6pm.
•Canaan has a special program for people over 60 years of age. Seniors meet at the Town Hall every Wednesday from 11am-1pm with lunch provided by Meals on Wheels. The meeting provides many special programs and an opportunity to get to know your ‘neighbors’. For more information call Judy @ 518-392-9053.
The Board wishes to extend our thanks to our resourceful, professional Highway Department, our invaluable and knowledgeable employees and Justices, and all our volunteers on various boards and committees for their generous assistance to Town officials and the community. We would also like to thank our volunteer Fire Companies, our ambulance service - Chatham Rescue Squad, and our New York State and Columbia County Police for their continued dedicated service to our communities’ public safety.
Thanks and have a great summer!
Rick Keaveney
Brenda Adams
Carrie Bither
Alan Miller
David Patzwahl
Questions? Suggestions? Use Contact the Town.
News:
2013 Budget is online
Town Hall:
The Canaan Town Hall is located on County Route 5, just south of the
intersection with NY State Route 295.
Our physical address is: 1647 County Route 5, Canaan NY
The mailing address is PO Box 459, Canaan, NY 12029.
Our physical address is: 1647 County Route 5, just off NY Route 295
The Canaan Town Clerk's hours are:
Monday & Wednesday & Thursday & Friday from 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Thursday 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
The Clerk's office can be reached at (518)781-3144, ext. 1. If you have a question about the town, the Clerk probably has the answer! So give her a call or feel free to stop by.
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